3 Tips To Protect Yourself When A “Creditor” Calls
August 05, 2015A few months ago, my wife received a call from someone claiming that we owed money from an unpaid medical bill. If you know anything about my wife, the idea that we owe anyone anything is troubling. Considering how many doctor bills, hospital bills, dental bills, and who-knows-what bills cross our table every year, it would not be inconceivable for us to have missed a payment. Fearing that perhaps one bill did go unpaid and the possible threats of legal action and bad credit, my wife gave the caller our credit card information to satisfy the bill.
You can imagine my reaction when she told me all of this after I came home that night. I began to barrage her with questions: Which doctor was this for? Have we verified with the doctor’s office that we did in fact owe them money? Who did this caller work for and are they legitimate?
Here’s a little free marriage counseling. This is NOT a good way to respond in this situation. Instead of making the situation better, I was making it worse. Not only did she feel bad for possibly falling behind on a payment, but now she was starting to feel worse out of fear of possible fraud.
In the end, we were able to verify that everything was legitimate.It was just something about the doctor’s office switching medical billing services and having past due accounts go immediately to collections, but it offered a very serious lesson in how easily we can because a victim of fraud. Here are some simple tips we learned during this ordeal:
1. Always question contact you did NOT initiate.
Getting a random phone call or letter out of the blue could be an indication that something is not right. A few weeks ago, I spoke to a caller on our helpline that received a call from an “attorney’s” office over a weekend. I suggested a call back on Monday to verify if this person really worked for that firm and why the firm was calling. If you don’t initiate the contact, then it can be anyone from anywhere contacting you.
2. Always assume you’re right (and the person calling is wrong).
When it comes to paying bills, my wife is impeccable, which is why she was shocked when someone claimed that she had missed a bill. If anyone ever tells you that you are behind on a payment, don’t take their word for it. Verify it yourself. Obtain contact information from a prior bill or statement (don’t assume the person on the phone is giving you legitimate contact information) and call the office to verify whether or not you owe money.
3. NEVER give out personal information (especially financial information).
I think what surprised me the most was how quickly my wife provided this complete stranger with financial account information. In hindsight, I think we all understand why this is not a good idea but she panicked in the heat of the moment, which is exactly what fraudulent callers hope you do. If you or someone you love ever does reveal financial information to an unverified source, contact the financial institution (e.g. bank, credit card issuer) right away to file a potential fraud alert. This will reduce any potential damage.
While we’d like to think that we live in a safe place, we know too well that danger lurks. Sadly, you don’t have to look hard to find it and sometimes it finds you. Take simple measures to protect yourself and if you ever suspect that you have become a victim of some type of fraud, tell someone. Don’t be embarrassed. Even the wife of a financial planner is susceptible.